Forgotten Letter

Linen Panel Size: 14" x 11" (unframed)
Oil on Linen Panel

The Story
As I drove through the vast expanse of New Mexico, my eyes caught sight of a weathered house standing alone against the desert backdrop. Time seemed to pause as I pulled over, drawn to this forgotten piece of someone's story. The peeling paint and broken shutters whispered tales of lives once lived within these walls.

Who called this isolated place home? Perhaps it was a ranger, dedicated to protecting these wild lands, watching sunsets paint the sky. Or maybe a young family once filled these rooms with laughter, their children's height marks still faintly visible on a door frame, their dreams as vast as the surrounding desert.

But my heart keeps returning to another possibility – an old man, his calloused hands building this house board by board, each nail driven with hope and promise. I imagine him crafting every detail with loving care, picturing his bride-to-be. The garden plot, now overrun with desert grass, where she would grow her favorite roses. The kitchen window where she would watch the sunrise while sipping her morning coffee.

And there, in the rusted mailbox, a letter remains – unopened, forgotten by time. Did she write to tell him she was finally coming home? Or did his words of longing and devotion go undelivered, forever waiting to be carried to her by a postman who never returned? Some stories are destined to remain mysteries, their endings left to dance in the desert wind like tumbleweeds, touching hearts of passing strangers who pause long enough to wonder.

Framed and Ready to Hang in Your Home!

Copyright remains with the artist even after sale.

Unauthorized copies may NOT be reproduced of this artwork.